Table-tennis net-supporting device



July 9, 1940. J. HILLSON 2,206,955

TABLE TENNIS NET-SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1959 Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES TABLE-TENNIS NET-.SUPFORTING DEVICE H Jacob Hillson, Brookline, Mass., assignor to Harvard Specialty Mfg. Corn,

Cambridge,

Mass., a. corporation of Massachusetts Application February 7, 1939, Serial No. 255,077

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a table-tennis net support and more especially to a device equipped also with means for securement to the usual table on which the game is to be played.

The device of the present invention is characterized by its compactness, simplicity and economy of manufacture, and the ease and effectiveness with which it can be installed on a table to support a net in the desired taut condition. Such device is a unitary structure into which is built suitable table-fastening means and a netsupporting superstructure comprising a stationary, substantially vertical, flat bar having a height greater than the width of the net to be supported, arms extending transversely from the ends of such bar, a substantially vertical, flat bar swingably secured to such arms so that a vertical edge thereof can be brought into and out of substantial contact with the inner face of the stationary bar, whereby, when such bars are out of substantial contact, the end portion of a net may be inserted therebetween, whereupon the swingable bar may be swung until its vertical edge clamps the net tightly against the inner face of the stationary bar. It is preferable that a manually actuable member for swinging the swingable bar constitute an angular extension of such bar and be of a width such as to strike against the stationary bar when the vertical edge of the swingable bar makes substantial contact with the inner face of the swingable bar, thereby avoiding undue clamping pressure against the net such as might injure the net or the net-engaging edge and/or render difficult manual. disr engagement of such edge, as might be desired,

should slack develop in the net or should occasion arise for the removal of the net or its transfer to another table.

With the foregoing and other features and objects in View, the present invention will now be described in further detail with particular reference to the accompanying drawing wherein;

Fig. 1 depicts in perspective a pair of devices installed in net-supporting positions on opposite sides of a table and each embodying the present invention. a

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged front elevation of one of the devices, only an end portion of the net being shown and the table being shown in section.

Fig. 3 depicts in perspective as disassembled elements the stationary bar, the swingable bar, and the end portion of a net to be clamped between the two bars.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the assembled bars on the line 55 of Fig. 2, the swingable bar being swung out of engagement with the stationary bar so as to permit the end portion of the net to be inserted therebetween.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the swingable bar swung into net-clamping position.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, it is generally desirable to use a pair of the net-supporting devices hereof in order to maintain the usual table-tennis net ID in the desired taut condition above the playing table II shown largely broken away. Each device, which may be constructed entirely of steel or its equivalent and is shown installed at a side edge portion of the table, comprises suitable means for temporary or releasable securement to such table portion. Thus, such means may, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, assume the form of a U-shaped frame l2, one leg I3 of which adapted to rest on top of the table and the other leg I4 of which has threaded therethrough a screw element I5 for fastening to the table. The inner or upper end portion I5a of the screw element may be of enlarged cup shape or carry rotatably thereon a cup-shaped Washer so as to engage firmly the under surface of the table, as best appears in Fig. 2, whereas the outer or lower end portion of the screw element may be of enlarged eye-shape [5b to permit easy gripand turning by the fingers. Before the frame I2 is fastened to the table, its base portion or bend may be brought against or made to abut the table side edge Ila.

The net-supporting superstructure of the device hereof. comprises a substantially vertical, flat bar I6 having a height somewhat greater than the width or height of the net to be supported. Projecting transversely from the ends of the bar I6 are arms IBa, the lower one of which is secured, as by spot-welding, to the upper leg I3 of the frame I2. It is preferable, as shown, that the lower arm I6a be of suflicient 40 length to reinforce the leg I3 throughout while at the same time substantially offsetting the vertical bar I6 outwardly from the base or bend of the U-shaped frame I2.

Swingably secured to the transversely extending arms I6a of the vertical bar I6 is a substantially vertical, flat bar I1, the end portions Ila of which may have a semi-tubular form for pivotal reception within suitable apertures l8 created through the arms I 6a. It is desirable that the bar I! be manually actuable by a member l9 constituting an angular extension of such bar. The swingable bar I! is of such width and its pivots IIa are so located that, in the course of 55 being swung, its vertical edge l'lb is brought into and out of substantial contact with the inner surface l6a of the stationary bar IS. The member I9 is preferably of such' width greater than the bar I! as to strike against and project beyond the edge of the bar l6 when the vertical edge Ila of the bar ll has been brought into substantial contact with the inner face lBb of the stationary bar It. The bar I! and its angular extension l9 may be formed by a suitable swaging or bending operation from a single blank of appropriately precut steel. It is unnecessary that, as shown, the extension I9 be coextensive in length with the bar IT, but such coextensiveness makes possible the use of comparatively thin stock while avoiding distortion of the extension under such manual force as may be applied thereto.

When the swingable bar ll has been actuated by the manually actuable member 19 so that its vertical edge Ila is out of contact with the inner face l6b of the stationary bar l6, as appears in Fig. 4, it is easy to insert or pass the end portion of the net lll through the space or gap S- between the bars. The member l9 may then be actuated to close the space S, that is, until its vertical edge portion Illa strikes against and is stopped by an edge of the stationary bar [6, at which time the clamping edge lia has already served to clamp the net tightly against the bar It. The vertical edge portion lEla, projecting as it does beyond the edge of the stationary bar is (as appears in Fig. 5), can be readily engaged by the thumb when it is desired to swing or push the swingable bar l'l' so as to unclamp its vertical edge lib from the net. After one end portion of a net has been clamped or fastened in position to a device hereof on one side of a table, the other end portion may be pulled taut and clamped in taut condition to another device hereof fastened to the opposite side of a table. However, it is possible to use the device hereof on one side of the table for tightening the net and supporting it at one end, whereas another type of device for merely supporting the net may be used on the other side of the table.

While not limited thereto, the device hereof operates best upon a net Whose top and bottom marginal portions are of greatest thickness and are readily compressible with little, if any, likelihood of being out. It is for this reason that such marginal portions, as well as the end marginal portions of the net in, are showtn'as being lapped over on both sides by strip fabric or piping 20 whose two folds are united by a single line of stitches 2| near their inner edges. The desired firm clamping of the net is hence realized at its upper and lower seams 20 with practically no danger of cutting or weakening the comparatively hard threads or cords constituting the net proper.

In addition to presenting the advantages indicated, the net-supporting device hereof is always ready to be installed on a table, for all of its parts are permanently assembled and there is no need for the use of Wrenches, screw drivers, or other tools in effecting the desired installation.

It is to be understood that the inventive principles hereof might be embodied in net-supporting devices other than the typical one specifically described and illustrated herein and that the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. In a unitary table-tennis net-supporting device equipped with means for securement to a table, a net-supporting superstructure comprising a stationary, substantially vertical, flat bar having a height greater thanthe width of the net to be supported, arms extending transversely from the ends of said bar, and a substantially vertical, flat bar whose end portions are pivotally received in said arms and which is thereby swingab-ly secured to said arms so that a vertical edge thereof can be brought into and out of substantial contact with the inner face of said stationarybar, whereby, when such bars are outof substantial contact, the end portion of a net may be inserted therebetween, whereupon said swingab-le bar may be swung until said vertical edge thereof has clamped the net tightly against the inner face of said stationary bar.

2. In a unitary table-tennis net-supporting device equipped with means for securement to a table, a net-supporting superstructure comprising a stationary, substantially vertical, flat bar having a height greater than the width of the net to be supported, arms extending transversely from the ends of said bar, a substantially vertical, fiat bar whose end portions are pivotally received in said arms and which is thereby swingably secured to said arms so that a vertical edge thereof can be brought into and out of substantial contact with the inner face of said stationary bar, and a manually actuable member by which said swingable bar may be caused to swing, said member constituting an angular extension of said swingable bar and being of a width to strike against said stationary bar when said vertical edge of said swingable bar has been broughtinto substantial contact with the inner face of said stationary bar, whereby, when such bars are out of substantial contact, the end portion of a net may be inserted therebetween, whereupon said swingable bar may be swung by actuation of said member until said member strikes against said stationary bar and said vertical edge of said swingable bar hence clamps the net tightly against the inner face of said stationary bar.

JACOB HILLSON. 

